Waiting out the storm
by Jadet
Summary: No, I'm sorry. We do not cater to demons." He spat the word demons out like poison. "What!" Inu Yasha yelled. "Are you saying you're just gonna let us freeze out there in that storm!"


Disclaimers: I'll give you three guesses what goes here, and the first two don't count.  
  
Author's notes: Well this was an attempt at humor gone WAY astray. It does have humor and WAFFyness, don't get me wrong, but I meant to start another story that I thought up and for some reason this came out instead. I'm guessing this takes place later on in the series since all the *cute* relationships are already deeply ingrained in the group, but when exactly is anyone's guess! (hey I just write what my muse tells me! I've learned never to piss her off by asking too many questions... she dissapears then. ;_;) It's also in a style that I usually don't write in, but actually sounds good for this story. So yeah, enjoy and tell me what you think please! Arigatou!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Waiting out the storm  
By: Jadet  
Copyright 02'  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
As they always say at the beginning of stories, it was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled like an enraged animal outside, sleet and snow mingling together in a frozen torrent. Trees, which had roots deep enough to proclaim their many hundred years of existence, bent underneath the onslaught of the storm, their trunks moaning from the strain. While there was a full moon that night, the sky was covered in thick black clouds that clashed with screams of anguish and showed not even the smallest hint of a normal night sky. In holding with tradition, the entire village had gathered in the main lodge to hide from the winter storm, and sat huddled together under blankets as they listened to the furious slamming of rain and snow against the lodge's walls. Every once in awhile a strangling villager would stumble in, covered in ice and shivering, but they were quickly welcomed into one huddle or another and warmed. Nervous glances were also exchanged when the elder's not-so-quiet discussion about the severity of the storm, which they decided sagely was the worst in over a hundred years, circulated around the groups of half frozen villagers. They weren't too frightened though, because they had plenty of food, water, and blankets as they were always stocked up on those essentials. A village could never be too careful when they were an out-of-the-way village as this one was.  
  
Despite the storm raging outside, however, the villagers were in a good mood. It had been a good year of fall crops, and the storm outside was probably doing them a favor by destroying whatever remained of those crops, clearing up the land for the next spring planting. Because it was such an isolated small town too, everyone knew each other with great familiarity and boisterous laughter rang out over the interludes of the storm.   
  
It was only when a group of five strangers suddenly burst into the lodge around midnight that things truly became unique to the startled villagers.   
  
The strangers, for they were strangers since not even one of the villagers recognized them, were half frozen when they slammed their way into the lodge. One of the two girls in particular looked half dead because her short, foreign outfit did not seem to have provided any protection against the storm outside. She was protectively held in the arms of a young youth similar to her in age, but somehow wearing what suspiciously looked like dog ears on the top of his head, and long, also suspicious silver-white hair to his waist. If the villagers didn't know better, they might have thought him a demon, but the complete at ease that the girl in his arms eluded could not have happened if she were in the arms of such a vile creature. It was a good thing too because this particular village hated all demons. It was understandable though; having multiple attacks a year did that to people.  
  
The other three strangers were just as intriguing as the two in the lead. The other woman in the group had what appeared to be a large boomerang strapped to her back, and though it must have weighed over a few hundred pounds, she showed no strain as she rubbed her hands together in a pitiful attempt to warm them. The young man beside her, garbed in a monk's clothes and looking about the same age as the two women and other young man, took her hands into his and rubbed them for her, murmuring to her quietly. The woman blushed but did not protest. The final member of the group was what looked like a little boy, clinging haphazardly to the monk's clothes and shivering enough to earn worried looks from the priest and his young woman.  
  
The villagers took this all in within a few seconds, and yet waited for this group to speak. While intriguing, were they friend or foe? And how did they come by such an isolated village as theirs was? If they were friend they were more than welcome to stay and share their fire, but if they were foe....  
  
It was the young white haired youth that spoke first, startling a few of the already tense villagers.  
  
"Are you going to invite us in or what?" He barked in a surprisingly accurate imitation of a dog's growl. His crude tone belied his anxiety, however, because from the moment he had stepped into the lodge he had not stopped rubbing his hands up and down the half-dead girl's arms in worry.  
  
One of the elders broke from a huddle and hurried up to them. "Of course, of course! Come in please! You are more than welcome to share our food and fire-"  
  
His voice abruptly died when he noticed the peculiar slit of the youth's eyes, and the damning demon-like claws adorning his hands. Taking a step back, he suddenly shook his head.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. We do not cater to *demons*." He spat the word demons out like poison, and it had the desired affect on his fellow villagers. What had been merely curious, but kindly faces suddenly turned harsh.  
  
"What?!" The youth yelled, gripping the girl in his arms a little tighter than necessary. She flinched but did not utter a peep. "Are you saying you're just gonna let us freeze out there in that goddamn storm?!"   
  
The other young man stepped in front of his companion, a worried frown creasing his brow. "Forgive my friend here. He is a little impetuous. However he does ask a good point. You would be willing to refuse us lodging just because of the race of my friend?" That question came out as more of an accusation than a question.  
  
The elder sweated a little when he thought of the repercussions of refusing a monk, women and a child would do to his name, not to mention the village's.   
  
"Y-you may stay here honored monk. We would never re-refuse someone like yourself or these young women and child." His voice suddenly became firm. "But demons are not welcomed in this village."  
  
A female voice suddenly cried out over the din of agreement from the villagers. "Those demons are responsible for my daughter's death! All of 'em don't deserve anything but cold, horrible deaths!" More agreeing sounds.  
  
The monk looked even more worried than before. He bowed low. "I can understand the pain that must swell in each of your breasts, but not allowing someone shelter in a storm such as this is just as bad as whatever the demons you spoke of have done to you."  
  
"Miroku, stop," the white haired youth muttered as several protests rose into the air after that statement. He looked down at the young woman in his arms, several emotions warring on his features. She looked back at him with unwavering brown eyes, and the elder watched in amazement as she confidently reached up a hand to cover his mouth just as he opened it.  
  
"No, Inu Yasha."   
  
The demon grumbled and moved her hand away gently. "I didn't even say anything."  
  
She smiled. "But I knew what you were going to say. I'm not going to let you go out into that storm without me."  
  
"Don't be stupid, wench! Your weak human body can't take staying out in that storm anymore." He snorted devilishly. "Especially in that stupid outfit."  
  
She bristled. "What's wrong with my outfit?"   
  
The elder during this time had alternated looks between the discussion between the monk and the boomerang bearing woman, to the increasing argument between the young woman and 'Inu Yasha'. He desperately wanted to warn the girl not to make the demon angry when she was totally at his mercy, but the elder didn't have the courage to draw attention to himself. He discovered his lack of bravery didn't matter, though, when a second later the demon wilted under the glare the young woman was throwing him.  
  
"Well?" She demanded, her arms crossed over her chest. The demon shifted nervously before scowling.  
  
"Nothing, wench. Your barbaric outfit is fine."  
  
She smiled smugly. "Thank you."  
  
The elder sweat dropped. Who was this woman that challenged demons and lived?  
  
"And you still aren't going out there without me."  
  
"Dammit Kagome-!"  
  
This time the elder face vaulted as the argument started all over, and again with the young woman as the obvious victor.   
  
The monk had obviously finished his discussion with his female companion because he was the one to help the elder up a second later. Patting himself off, the elder looked with complete amazement and bafflement at the arguing pair.  
  
"How can she do that? Does she not know the dangers of angering a demon?"  
  
Miroku glanced over at Kagome and Inu Yasha, and a small smile filtered across his face. "Inu Yasha would never hurt her and she knows it. Besides, the two of them love each other."  
  
The elder swung his head around. "What! How could she love a *demon*?!"  
  
Again Miroku smiled, shrugging. "She just does. They haven't told each other yet, the idiots, but it's obvious. Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
The elder grudgingly admitted that truth a minute later when the argument did not escalate beyond her telling him what was going to happen and him fighting a losing battle. He obviously wanted her to stay here where it was warm and away from the storm, and was willing to leave so that she could stay. But she was having none of it; she would rather freeze outside together than just him alone. Something tugged at the elder's heart, so he turned away before he was tempted to override the still angry demands from the waiting crowd that the group leave immediately.  
  
Another shock awaited the elder's eyes, however, when they fell on the child in the group while trying to avoid looking at the arguing couple. With wide eyes he took in the tell-tale signs that the child was a demon as well. His elfin like ears stood out like a blaring contrast next to the normal ears of the young woman he was perched on, and the elder finally noticed the tail that peaked over the boy's shoulder. A demon child! A movement brought his attention down. Sitting by the women's feet, a demon cat stared at him inquisitively with deep red eyes. The elder backpedaled. How many demons did this group contain?!  
  
Miroku followed his gaze and saw who he was staring at. "Ah yes, Shippou and Kirara are also demons that you would be refusing lodging to. It would be a shame if Shippou died in a storm after his parents were killed protecting him. And Sango would be crushed without her faithful Kirara."  
  
The elder turned to glare at him. "Look monk, I am sorry that we cannot provide lodging for your... friends, but no one here would allow them to stay."  
  
"Ah, would they not?" The monk replied evenly.  
  
Somehow that question made the elder doubt everything he thought he knew. "N-no, they wouldn't."  
  
"Then that is a shame for us, I suppose." Miroku turned back to where Kagome and Inu Yasha were still arguing, though more for the purpose of keeping their minds off the inevitable than anything else. "Come Kagome-sama, Inu Yasha, we should try to find other lodgings before dawn."  
  
The elder widened his eyes when he realized the monk thought he had refused them all lodging. "Oh no, honored monk, you and the two women are welcome to stay! You do not have to leave!"  
  
Again the monk replied to him evenly, "Do we not?" and turned back to his companions. They whispered amongst themselves for a minute. The older demon was grumbling under his breath afterwards, but set the young woman he was holding down. He shed his outer haori quickly and draped it over her shoulders before scooping her back up.  
  
"Your stupidity is going to get you killed one of these days, wench," the demon growled. Kagome just smiled and pulled the haori around her tighter.  
  
"Hai, hai."  
  
Miroku turned to the elder and bowed to him. Feeling self-conscious, the elder bowed back.   
"We thank you for letting us warm our weary bodies in your lodgings," Miroku said. From the look on the older demon's face, though, the elder doubted that what the demon had in mind was a 'thank you.'  
  
Shippou sighed from Sango's shoulder, drawing the elder's stare, and pulled his thin coat further up his neck. "Here we go again."  
  
She patted his hand. "It's okay, Shippou-chan. We'll find somewhere else to spend the night."  
  
Then, without another glance at the suddenly still room, the group of strangers opened the door and slipped out into the roaring storm. The door slammed shut behind them, muffling the sound of the storm and preventing the rush of cold air from coming in again.   
  
The villagers, shocked silent that they had rid themselves of the demons and their companions so easily, glanced at each other with wide eyes. Even the woman who had shouted out before that all demons should die looked shocked and slightly guilty.   
  
"Well," the elder cleared his throat. "That is that."  
  
The crowd murmured agreement, their eyes still trained on the door that the strangers had left from not two minutes before. They almost expected them to come back, but the minutes ticked by and not a sound or movement from the door announced their presence. Self-consciously, the villagers shifted their eyes from one person to the next, debating silently something they had never considered before. Should they?   
  
Suddenly a small voice piped up from the back of the room. "Maybe we shouldn't have let them go back into that storm...."  
  
Another joined in. "They didn't look _that_ bad anyway...."  
  
The group of elders looked at each other hesitantly, before the elder who had talked with the strangers cleared his throat again. "My fellow villagers, we cannot commit this terrible sin. If we let them go out there, would we not be just like the demons we despise so much?"  
  
A chorus of yes' answered him. He nodded his head. "Who, then, will volunteer to bring them back?"  
  
A man stepped out from the crowd, already donning his jacket and boots. "I will."  
  
The elder nodded. "Thank you." The volunteer reached the door just as he pulled on his gloves, and with a quick look at his fellow villagers, pulled open the door. Six different bodies of different shapes tumbled through the door when it gave way, eliciting cries of shock from the surrounding villagers. The group untangled themselves from each other, and grinned sheepishly at the crowd.   
  
The elder looked dumbstruck. "How did you know that we were going to call you back?"  
  
Miroku scratched his head. "You didn't seem like bad people, so I thought maybe you would reconsider...."  
  
The elder just blinked.  
  
"Keh!" Inu Yasha snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Inu Yasha, hush," Kagome chastised, and smiled hesitantly at the elders. "We would be very grateful if you would allow us to stay just until the storm is over. We promise that none of us," she darted a look at Inu Yasha. "Will do anything."   
  
The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but the elder smiled tremulously back. "It would be our honor, miss. Please treat this as your home as long as you wish."  
  
Kagome smiled broadly, catching a few men unawares with how pretty it was. They suddenly got a certain death look from one easily-jealous hanyo, and immediately turned their eyes away. "Arigatou."  
  
Miroku suddenly clapped, startling a few people, and moved away from his friends. Sango narrowed her eyes and followed him, a hand already reaching for her boomerang. When Miroku lunged and grabbed the nearest girl's hands, spouting off words of love and admiration, one well aimed boomerang started off one of the most interesting evenings that the village had ever seen.   
  
The storm did end not too long afterwards, and with cheerful farewells the group of strangers left the village with no more damage than a few dents in the floor and a weeks worth of food devoured. The villagers all gathered to see the group off, and a few men and women moaned when they thought how close they had been to getting introduced to a few of the group's members, taken or not.  
  
The elders, who had also sagely decided that they too must see the group off to keep appearances up, kept themselves separate from their fellow villagers as they talked. About what, the villagers never did find out. But one did hear the tail end of the conversation as he 'accidentally' dropped something near their feet.  
  
"So it's unanimous. Next time we lock the door."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Owari and all that jazz. Was it good? Bad? Should I jump off the nearest bridge, crowing like a duck? ::blinks:: Er, never mind that last one. Actually, did anyone catch the link between the story and the name? I originally named this something else (can't remember what... real smart huh?), but this title just sounded better. Well, hope you liked it!! Now to go back to writing that story I ORIGINALLY intended to write! ::chews on her lip as she squints at the monitor:: Jya.  
  
~Jadet   
^.~ 


End file.
